Royal Rumble (2000)
Royal Rumble (2000) was the thirteenth annual Royal Rumble professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). It took place on January 23, 2000, at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York. The main event was the Royal Rumble match, which The Rock won by last eliminating The Big Show to win the match. The undercard included a street fight match between Triple H and Cactus Jack for the WWF Championship, a Triple Threat match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship, and the New Age Outlaws defending their WWF Tag Team Championship against The Acolytes. This Royal Rumble was the first WWF pay-per-view event to air on terrestrial television in the United Kingdom, as Channel 4 had acquired the rights to broadcast World Wrestling Federation programming that year. The Royal Rumble aired live, with commercial breaks—a format that was changed for later PPV's on Channel 4. Storylines The main feud going into the event was between Triple H and Mick Foley. The McMahon-Helmsley Faction began in late 1999, where Triple H and Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley had control over the WWF, and scheduling unreasonable matches for the wrestlers. Foley objected to this, and the faction attacked several times before finally firing him. On the January 3 episode of Raw is War, Triple H won the WWF Championship, and mocked Foley with an impersonator. On the January 10 episode of Raw is War, The Rock brought every superstar to the ring, demanding that Foley be reinstated or the entire roster would walk out. Foley was reinstated, and he requested a Street Fight for the WWF Championship at Royal Rumble. Foley and Triple H fought in a four-on-four tag team match later that night. Triple H pinned Foley after using the ring bell, and delivering two Pedigrees. After the match, Foley took off his mask, and attacked Triple H. On the January 13 episode of SmackDown!, Foley returned to his Cactus Jack persona (a more violent and psychotic character) by taking off his Mankind attire to reveal his Cactus Jack attire. Buildup towards the Royal Rumble match began on January 10, when The Rock announced his participation in the match and a week later guaranteed victory. The Big Show also declared his intention to win the match. Later that night, The Rock and The Big Show faced the New Age Outlaws. At the end, Big Show attacked The Rock, who then hit Big Show with a steel chair, and a People's Elbow. On the January 20 episode of SmackDown!, a confrontation between The Big Show and The Rock was interrupted by Tori, who declared Kane the favorite, leading to a Triple Threat Over-the-Top-Rope Lumberjack match. In the match, the Big Show eliminated The Rock with a chokeslam, and Kane eliminated The Big Show with a back body drop to win, sparking a fight involving all the competitors and lumberjacks. Another feud going into the event was between Chris Jericho, Chyna and Hardcore Holly over the WWF Intercontinental Championship. After a title match between Chyna and Jericho on the December 30 episode of SmackDown! ended in a double pinfall, both were declared co-champions. Despite tension between Jericho and Chyna, the two were forced to work together and helped each other retain the title, including in title defenses against Hardcore Holly, who challenged Jericho and Chyna to a Triple Threat match to resolve the title situation. Aftermath Triple H and Cactus Jack's feud continued into No Way Out, the following pay-per-view. On the January 31 episode of Raw is War, Jack fought Triple H in a match where Mick Foley beat Triple H down. The following week, Triple H, in an attempt to end their feud, made a match between the two for the WWF Championship at No Way Out, but Foley would have to retire if he lost. Jack then decided that the match would be a Hell in a Cell match. The Big Show started a feud with The Rock. The Big Show claimed that The Rock was eliminated first when his feet hit the floor before The Big Show's. During the following weeks, The Big Show attempted to gather evidence to prove his claim. He finally produced video evidence to Triple H and was granted a match at No Way Out against The Rock for a WWF Championship match at WrestleMania 2000. However years later, in 2016, when the Rock made his return to WWE in his hometown of Miami, he met Big Show backstage and said that he (Big Show) should have been the winner of that Royal Rumble. The feud between Chris Jericho, Chyna and Hardcore Holly ended when Holly failed to win the WWF Intercontinental Championship from Jericho, and Chyna aligned herself with Jericho. Jericho moved on to feud with Kurt Angle. Angle won the WWF European Championship on the February 10 episode of SmackDown!, and on the February 14 episode of Raw is War, Angle challenged Jericho to a match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship at No Way Out. The feud between the Hardy Boyz and the Dudley Boyz continued, with Edge and Christian joining the feud. While initially showing respect, the Dudley Boyz attacked the Hardy Boyz during their match on the January 24 episode of Raw is War. On the January 27 episode of SmackDown!, Edge and Christian supported the Hardy Boyz and fought the Dudley Boyz, who put Edge and Christian through a table. On the January 31 episode of Raw is War, the Hardy Boyz put the Dudley Boyz through tables, and, later, the Dudley Boyz put the Hardy Boyz through three stacked tables. On the February 14 episode of Raw is War, D-Von Dudley defeated Edge and Jeff Hardy to earn a shot at the WWF Tag Team Championship at No Way Out, starting their feud with the champions the New Age Outlaws. Also during the match, the Hardy Boyz had a confrontation with Edge and Christian, starting their feud. They would also have a match at No Way Out. Results Special match Royal Rumble entrances and eliminations A new entrant came out approximately every 90 seconds. Other on-screen personnel See also * List of WWE pay-per-view events * Royal Rumble Category:Royal Rumble PPV Category:Pay-Per-Views